By deploying troops and special ops forces to Puerto Rico and Colombia, Washington is getting ready to intervene in Venezuela and topple its leader, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council said.

The US is “preparing for a military invasion” in Venezuela, Nikolai Patrushev told Russian media on Tuesday.

The relocation of American special forces’ units to Puerto Rico, the deployment of the US Army units to Colombia and other facts evidently show that Pentagon is enhancing its military in the region in order to use it in ousting… President [Nicolas] Maduro.

“The people of Venezuela understand this clearly,” Patrushev said, adding that this notion increases popular support for Maduro and drives the government to reject the aid offered by “an aggressor state.”

Maduro blocked delivery of US government-sponsored humanitarian aid, dismissing the move as a PR stunt and highlighting fears that Washington might use it as an opportunity to smuggle weapons into the country.

This led to clashes between police and protesters across the border with Colombia.